Editorial

The prime minister yesterday unveiled the wide-ranging "Malta National Action Plan on Poverty and Social Exclusion 2004-2006" through which Malta will co-ordinate its social inclusion process with that of the other 24 European Union member states to raise employment levels, improve education and combat poverty and social exclusion in Malta and throughout the EU.

The strategic approach of the National Action Plan - which involved an intensive period of consultation and collaboration with NGOs, social partners, religious organisations and government departments - is based on three points: increasing the overall employment rate, mainly through greater female participation; combating illiteracy and improving educational attainment; and strengthening the welfare system and increasing affordable social housing.

To reach these aims the plan identifies no fewer than 12 key priorities. Before listing them it is worth making a general remark: education is essential to progress in all fields. Despite the introduction of compulsory education in the 1940s, the subsequent raising of the school-leaving age, the opening up of secondary education, and later, of tertiary (including University) education - among others, through the granting of stipends - at the last census in 1995 (the next is due next year), we still had an illiteracy rate of 11 per cent.

And for all the impressive advances made towards ensuring equal rights for women, gender equality (also through a major legislative reform), and providing child care facilities, women's participation rate in the labour market still remains low by EU standards. And it is destined to remain low as long as education does not make greater headway, for indeed education - as it is in other areas - is the key to women's advancement and, in this particular case, to greater female participation in the labour market.

But let us look at the plan's 12 key priorities. The first is to increase employment of vulnerable groups (including the unskilled, those unable to work a full time-table and parents with dependent children). The ETC is already providing training for this category; this obviously needs to be stepped up.

The second is to increase female employment. Education here is key, but incentives to work must be provided, including child care facilities, the introduction of flexitime and outwork. Here, the co-operation of the private sector is essential.

A third priority is to increase the employment rate of persons aged 55 and over, which is only 32 per cent compared to the EU's 40 per cent. With the likely increase in the retirement age to 65, this is clearly an area for concern.

Making work pay is the fourth priority. Perhaps tax incentives here could encourage more people to go to work, rather than rely on unemployment benefit.

Aiming at full literacy and numeracy, reducing school absenteeism and promoting life-long and life-wide opportunities at all levels is the fifth priority. More emphasis on the three Rs at primary level, and the promotion of literacy classes for adults are two ways of reaching this objective. One would add that addiction to television and video games among the very young is making serious inroads into literacy, besides having other undesirable effects.

The sixth priority is ensuring further inclusion and equal opportunities for students with disabilities or learning difficulties. Much progress has been achieved in this area, with the provision of facilitators and more congenial school environments, but presumably more remains to be done.

Supporting families in need and families at risk of social exclusion, particularly victims of domestic violence, is key priority No. 7. With the breakdown of traditional values, the undoubted influence of the electronic media, and other disruptive elements, family break-ups, accompanied by violence and psychological and sexual abuse are on the rise. More social workers are needed to cope with the increased workload. The creation of various government agencies, such as Appogg, and the help of NGOs in the field, is to be lauded but is clearly not enough.

The eighth priority is to promote public awareness of children's rights and to protect and empower children. Again, in this area, progress has been made through increased awareness and the creation of a Commissioner for Children, but we are still shocked at recent cases involving the abandonment and even the sexual abuse of children by parents.

The other priorities are to ensure affordable housing to vulnerable groups, to promote access to services for disadvantaged groups, to ensure adequate and sustainable pensions, and to regenerate the Grand Harbour area. These are all "hot" issues which deserve much more than a passing comment. However, their inclusion in the list points to the nature of the hugely challenging task facing the whole of Maltese society.